Extreme Christian Couponing

By Karla Bowman-Bur

Go to the ant...observe her ways and be wise...(she) prepares her food in the sum-mer and gathers her provision in the har-

vest.

Proverbs 6:6-8 American King James Bible

There’s a lot of talk about extreme couponing right now because of the reality show of the same name. Millions have seen it. The savings are impressive and the stockpiles are massive. Many can’t get over how greedy some of these people seem and relieved to see a few of them sharing with friends and family and/or donating to local charities, churches or the military. A lot have wondered if extreme couponing is some-thing that a Christian should do.

Devoted Christians will always base everything they do on God’s Word. But there are some things in our contemporary world that you just won’t find mentioned in the Bible. Extreme couponing is one! You won’t find the word coupon in any of the thousands of verses in the Bible. So, if it’s not specifically mentioned in the Bible, what’s a “couponer” to do?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Although you won’t read about Sarah, Esther or Ruth taking their camels and coupons to the lo-cal village market, you can find several scrip-tures that give you some guidelines. Use these to make sure you are couponing in a Christian way. Here are just a few to get you started: “Thou shalt not steal” (the 8th commandment, Exodus 20:15) and “do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another” (Leviticus 19:11). Christians should NOT be stealing, lying, cheat-ing, or using fraud to obtain newspapers, coupons, discounts, or rebates. If the deal has a “limit 3” for chicken, don’t give three to your

spouse and children and stand in line acting like you don’t know them!

Leviticus 19 also says in verses 9-10 that we should not gather up everything or go over it a second time but that we should leave some for others. Thousands of years ago, it was gardens, fields, and vineyards but nowadays this can ap-ply to grocery shopping and couponing. Many who are new to couponing have already experi-enced disappointment when they went to their local grocery store only to find the shelves cleaned out of the advertised sale items. Some-one was greedy and selfish and not thinking of other families and their need to find the same bargain. The whole “love your neighbor as yourself” thing doesn’t always get put into prac-tice. We should all have the same access to the same bargains. Leaving some for others is the neighborly (and Christian) thing to do!

STOCKING UP vs. HOARDING

One of the biggest arguments against extreme couponing is the practice of “stockpiling.” Stockpiling is buying as much as you can, as of-ten as you can, and storing it anywhere and ev-erywhere you can. As seen on the show, some extreme couponers have enough toilet paper to last them for the next 40 years. Many consider this hoarding, and rightly so! Stocking up, on the other hand, is where you purchase what you will need to see you through till the next sale. Is stocking up wrong? Let’s see!

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God told Noah to gather up and store enough food for himself, his family and all of the ani-mals on the ark to eat during the flood and the time it took for the earth to dry, about five months in all (Genesis 6:21). With eight adults and hundreds, maybe thousands, of animals, that’s a lot of food & supplies!

In Genesis 41, Joseph was instructed by God to collect and store up vast amounts of food dur-ing seven years of abundance to use during seven years of famine and in Jeremiah 40:10, the “poor of the land” were told to “harvest” and “store up” the summer fruits and wine.

Stocking up what you need to see you through is not being greedy, bad or a sin. It’s just being wise. For those who want to stock up while the items are on sale, buying one newspaper per family member is about right. Most items will be on sale again in a couple of months.

DAILY DEALS = A DONE DEAL!

In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus tells us not to worry about what we will eat or drink. He says that our Heavenly Father knows that we need it and that our life is more than just food and drink. He says “to seek first His kingdom.” Take ad-vantage of the daily deal. Stock up but don’t go back and take it all, leave some for others. Don’t worry, there will be another sale! Trust God to provide your daily needs.

STOCK UP...IN HEAVEN!

Matthew 6:19-24 encourages us not to store up things here on earth where “moth and rust de-stroy, and where thieves break in and steal” but to store up for ourselves “treasures in heaven...for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” First Corinthians 6:13 says “food for the stomach and the stomach for food”-- but God will destroy them both” and 8:8 says “food does not bring us near God.” Food should never be our treasure.

A NOBLE TASK

The Bible teaches what has become the model for the ideal Christian wife and mother, the No-ble Woman. Proverbs 31 details all of the char-

acter traits that this virtuous woman has. Among many other qualities, she is noted for working eagerly with her hands; going to far places to obtain food; bringing it all home; and getting up early every morning to provide meals for her family and servants. She is also noted for opening her arms to the poor and extending her hands to the needy!

SHARE YOUR BOUNTY, REALLY!

If you’ve been extreme couponing and have a sizeable stockpile, you are blessed to be a bless-ing! Do you really need 48 bottles of mustard? Acts 20:35 says “it’s more blessed to give than to receive”, so share your bounty, it’s the quicker-picker-upper! It’s the Christian thing to do and you’ll feel good about it too! Remem-ber, God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corin. 9:7).

Luke 3:11 teaches that if we have more than we need and someone else doesn’t have any at all, that we should share what we have with them. This doesn’t mean we have to give to people who are too lazy to go out and work for it. Re-member the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25? The five wise virgins who had prepared and brought enough oil to get them through the night said NO to the foolish virgins who asked for a handout! Sometimes it’s okay to say no. Consider selling some of your surplus to a friend. Proverbs 11:27 says that “people curse the (woman) who hoards grain (food), but blessing crowns (her) who is willing to sell.”

BE AN EXTREME “CHRISTIAN” COUPONER

Go ahead and cut those coupons, hunt for those bargains, get what your family needs for today and store up a little to get you through till the next sale. Don’t be afraid to tell someone no when the situation calls for it, but remember to share with those who really need it. If you re-ally want to be an extreme couponer then be sure to be an extreme Christian couponer!

2011 © The Christian Community Resource Guide, Inc.

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